Expanded Boundaries Signal New Vision for Downtown
The new committee overseeing Sault Ste. Marie’s downtown is responsible for a much larger area than its predecessor.
- The new downtown committee replaced the Downtown Association on January 1, 2026.
- Proposed boundaries extend from Huron Street to the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre, and from the waterfront to Albert Street.
- The committee is prioritizing downtown events, communications, cleanliness, safety, and economic health.
- A new city logo, designed in 2019, is expected to replace the Downtown Association’s branding.
- Committee member André Riopel advocates for converting parking lots into housing.
The transition began on New Year’s Day, when the city council-created downtown development committee officially took the reins from the member-supported Downtown Association. While the previous association focused on a one-kilometre section of Queen Street, between Gore and East Street, the new committee is eyeing a far more expansive footprint.
Josh Ingram, a city staffer who attended a recent committee meeting, indicated the proposed boundaries would stretch from Huron Street to the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre, and from the waterfront to Albert Street. A brief consideration was given to extending the area to Wellington Street, but that idea was ultimately scrapped due to a perceived lack of businesses in that block.
Q: What’s the biggest change coming to Sault Ste. Marie’s downtown?
A: The downtown area is set to expand significantly, moving beyond the traditional Queen Street corridor to encompass a much larger geographical area, potentially revitalizing underutilized spaces and fostering broader economic growth.
Branding Shift and Committee Priorities
The changes aren’t limited to geography. Committee members learned on Tuesday that the Downtown Association’s recently developed logo and branding will likely be replaced by the city’s existing 2019 visual identity and colour scheme. The city logo, designed to evoke the International Bridge and a medicine wheel, initially drew criticism—some SooToday readers in 2019 likened it to a “badly sliced pizza” or a basketball—even from then-Ward 3 Councillor Matthew Shoemaker, now the city’s mayor. He did not comment on the logo at Tuesday’s meeting.
The committee has already identified five key priorities: downtown events, communications, cleanliness and neighbourhood upkeep, safety, and economic health, with a particular focus on addressing store vacancies. Committee member André Riopel, a strong advocate for sustainable transportation, has also championed the idea of repurposing excess parking lots for new housing developments.
The committee is still in the process of finalizing its policies and priorities, but the direction is clear: Sault Ste. Marie’s downtown is poised for a significant transformation.
